Ophioblennius atlanticus
| Ophioblennius atlanticus | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Blenniidae |
| Genus: | Ophioblennius |
| Species: | O. atlanticus |
| Binomial name | |
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Ophioblennius atlanticus (Valenciennes, 1836) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Salarias atlanticus Valenciennes, 1836 |
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Salarias atlanticus Valenciennes, 1836
Ophioblennius atlanticus, also known as the redlip blenny and the horseface blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny, family Blenniidae, found primarily in the western central Atlantic ocean. Redlip blennies can be found in coral crests and shallow fringing reefs. They are highly territorial and attack intruders with two long, sharp canine teeth. The adults are found at depths of 10 to 20 meters, and the eggs are benthic. The adults may reach up to four inches in length when fully grown, and they have large reddish lips, from which they attained their names. Redlip blennies largely feed on algae.
The species was originally described by French zoologist Achille Valenciennes in 1836.Ophis is Greek for "serpent", and blennios is Greek for "mucus." The species name atlanticus is the name for its location of capture. The common name, redlip, refers to the reddish color of its lips.
Adult redlip blennies can reach two to four inches in length. They are chocolate brown in appearance with some yellow markings, and possess blunt heads featuring four branching horns, and large reddish lips. A variation on the species is a paler form, having a shell-white body and reddish brown head.
Ophioblennius atlanticus is native to the tropical marine environments of the western central Atlantic Ocean. Its range extends from North Carolina, US, and Bermuda southward to Brazil, and includes the western Gulf of Mexico and the Antilles. Ophioblennius atlanticus mostly inhabits shallow, clear waters with coral reefs and rock bottoms.Ophioblennius atlanticus adults are mostly found at depths of 10 to 20 meters, while their eggs are benthic.
These fish occasionally make their way into the pet trade. They require a minimum of 30 gallons, and being generally peaceful are suitable for community tanks, as long as no other fish have a similar body shape. However they do well in mated pairs. They should be kept at temperatures of 22–26 °C (72–78 °F), with a PH level of 8.1–8.4. They have a jumping ability which allows them to jump from tide pool to tide pool in the wild. This means that if they are to be housed in an aquarium a lid is necessary. The horseface blenny feeds primarily on algae, but also consumes zooplankton and other invertebrates. They possess two razor-sharp canine teeth, which has earned them the nickname of "devil fish" in some countries.
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Wikipedia